For most people around the world, riding a motorcycle, or motorcycling, is the only affordable form of individual motorized transportation. Small displacement motorcycles are the most common motor vehicle in the most populous countries, since for most riders, a motorcycle is a cheaper and more convenient form of transportation. The use of motorcycles for transportation causes less commuter congestion within cities and has a lower environmental impact than automobile ownership. However, for others motorcycling is a leisure activity as a means to relieve stress and to clear one's mind. Motorcycles can be used for all types of travel from short commutes and extending up to multi-day long-distance trips.
The motorcycle has evolved from the integration of a small gasoline engine on a bicycle to that of a large two-wheeled motorized vehicle. The basic design concept, however, has remained relatively constant since its inception. A motorcycle generally comprises two in-line wheels mounted to a frame with the drive engine also mounted to a frame and positioned between the two wheels. The front wheel is steerable utilizing a time-honored handlebar, and a seat is mounted to an upper portion of the frame behind the handlebars. A motorcycle rider sits on the seat by straddling the frame in much the same manner as riding a bicycle. The seats incorporated on a motorcycle range from a mere elongated padded platform on small displacement cycles to those on larger cycles further incorporating partial or full backrests.
Unlike in closed motor vehicles such as automobiles and trucks where an individual is able to shift his or her seating position, a motorcycle rider must remain in a substantially fixed position straddling the motorcycle frame and maintaining a grasp on the handlebars. Consequently, an individual is often susceptible to muscular discomfort, stiffness, or cramping. This discomfort is often concentrated in the rider's back, and most particularly in the rider's lower back. Until now, a rider's primary recourse to such discomfort has been relegated to stopping, dismounting the motorcycle, and engaging in various stretching exercises, thereby interrupting the rider's travels.
Therefore, a massage system integrated with a motorcycle seat is needed whereby a motorcycle rider can selectively address and alleviate back pain and discomfort while riding the motorcycle.